Egypt president's son drops government job after furore

CAIRO, Feb 17 (Reuters) - One of Egyptian President MohamedMursi's sons withdrew from taking up a job with a firmaffiliated to the civil aviation ministry on Sunday amid mediaaccusations of nepotism.

The decision by Omar Mursi to forgo a human resources postat the Holding Company for Airports and Air Navigation showedthe role of independent media in holding leaders to account inthe new Egypt, following the uprising that toppled PresidentHosni Mubarak in 2011.

Mubarak was widely believed to have been grooming his ownson, Gamal, a businessman, to succeed him. Gamal and his brotherAlaa are in jail awaiting trial on charges of corruption andillegal land dealings.

Sources at the ministry said the monthly salary for OmarMursi's position would not have exceeded 900 Egyptian pounds($130) but activists said it was unfair for the president's son,who graduated last year, to be given a government post whenmillions of citizens have been jobless for years.

Activists threatened on Sunday to protest outside the civilaviation ministry if the president's son took up his post.

On his Facebook page, Omar Mursi wrote: "I took a test forthe position knowing I would be attacked and rumours and lieswould be spread about me ... Yet I chose not to complete thepaperwork to take up this position.

"The question remains 'How can I find a job in my dearcountry Egypt?' he said. ($1 = 6.7303 Egyptian pounds)